Matt Prior
| birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa | heightft = 5 | heightinch = 11 | batting = Right-handed | role = Wicketkeeper-Batsman | international = true | testdebutdate = 17 May | testdebutyear = 2007 | testdebutagainst = West Indies | testcap = 635 | lasttestdate = 23 November | lasttestyear = 2012 | lasttestagainst = India | odidebutdate = 5 December | odidebutyear = 2004 | odidebutagainst = Zimbabwe | odicap = 187 | lastodidate = 26 March | lastodiyear = 2011 | lastodiagainst = Sri Lanka | odishirt = 23 (prev. 13) | hidedeliveries = true | club1 = Sussex | year1 = 2001–present | club2 = MCC | year2 = 2002 | club3 = Victoria Bushrangers | year3 = 2011 | deliveries = balls | columns = 4 | column1 = Test | matches1 = 60 | runs1 = 3,228 | bat avg1 = 43.04 | 100s/50s1 = 6/23 | top score1 = 131* | deliveries1 = – | wickets1 = – | bowl avg1 = – | fivefor1 = – | tenfor1 = – | best bowling1 = – | catches/stumpings1 = 168/13 | column2 = ODI | matches2 = 68 | runs2 = 1,282 | bat avg2 = 24.19 | 100s/50s2 = 0/3 | top score2 = 87 | deliveries2 = – | wickets2 = – | bowl avg2 = – | fivefor2 = – | tenfor2 = – | best bowling2 = – | catches/stumpings2 = 71/8 | column3 = FC | matches3 = 215 | runs3 = 11,596 | bat avg3 = 39.98 | 100s/50s3 = 26/67 | top score3 = 201* | deliveries3 = – | wickets3 = – | bowl avg3 = – | fivefor3 = – | tenfor3 = – | best bowling3 = – | catches/stumpings3 = 541/40 | column4 = LA | matches4 = 220 | runs4 = 5,052 | bat avg4 = 27.45 | 100s/50s4 = 4/28 | top score4 = 144 | deliveries4 = – | wickets4 = – | bowl avg4 = – | fivefor4 = – | tenfor4 = – | best bowling4 = – | catches/stumpings4 = 186/31 | date = 20 August | year = 2012 | source = http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10971/10971.html CricketArchive }} Matthew James Prior (born 26 February 1982, Johannesburg, South Africa) is an English One Day International (ODI) and Test cricketer who plays domestic cricket for Sussex. He is a wicket-keeper, and his aggressive right-handed batting enables him to open the innings in ODI matches. With an international Test debut score of 126, Prior became the first English wicket-keeper to hit a century in his debut match in early 2007. His glovework, however, was criticised. Despite a successful tour of Sri Lanka with the bat, Prior's keeping was less successful, and he was dropped from the team for the 2008 tour of New Zealand. He returned for the 2008 series against South Africa, and was retained into 2009, where he became the second fastest England keeper to reach 1,000 Test runs, behind Les Ames. Early and personal life Prior was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and moved to England with his family aged 11. His mother is South African and his father is English. He attended the Brighton College in Brighton, Sussex, and then studied at the County Cricket Ground, Hove. From an early age Prior showed commitment to charitable causes and has never shied away from taking part in matches and events in the name of charity. He is married to Emily, the daughter of former footballer Sammy Nelson. Matthew and Emily have a son named Jonathan who was born early 2009. Domestic career Prior received the NBC Denis Compton Award for young cricketers three times in his career. He has hit more than 1,000 first class runs over the course of two seasons, in 2003 when he won the County Championship with Sussex, and 2004, when his 1,158 runs, including 201 not out against Loughborough UCCE, was enough to be top-scorer for Sussex that season. In 2005 he made fewer runs, with 874, but also became Sussex's first choice wicket-keeper again after having shared duties with Tim Ambrose in the two previous seasons. He has won the County Championship three times (2003,2006 and 2007) although in 2007 he has not taken part as much as before due to his England duties. ODI career Prior made his One Day International debut in England's One day series of Zimbabwe in 2004, he was chosen to open with Ian Bell and made 35 before he was dismissed by Edward Rainsford in a 74-run win. Prior has been on three tours with the England A team, in 2003/4, 2004/5 and 2006/07. He was also selected as back-up wicket-keeper to Geraint Jones. He made 45. Having played in all five ODI's of the series, he was also named in the squad for the tour to India that followed and played in six ODI's, opening the batting in four of them. Prior remained in the One Day side until he was left out for the ODI squad for the tour to Sri Lanka, in favour of Phil Mustard (but remained in the Test side). After missing both home and away series against New Zealand, Prior returned to the side following the poor form of replacement Tim Ambrose for the home series against South Africa. On 26 August 2008 Prior took six catches against South Africa at Trent Bridge only the second Englishman to achieve that feat in an ODI. In that match England bowled South Africa for just 83 their second lowest score against England in a One Day game where Stuart Broad took career best figures of 5-23. Prior was England's wicket-keeper for the ill-fated Twenty20 Stanford Super Series in November 2008, but was dropped for the Twenty20 match against the West Indies in early 2009 for Steven Davies, and for the 2009 World Twenty20 for James Foster. Despite this, Prior remained an active part of the England 50 over side, and was elevated to number 3 for the home series against the West Indies. Test Statistics Test Centuries External links * Player Profile: Matthew Prior from Cricinfo * Player Profile: Matthew Prior from CricketArchive Category:English cricketers Category:Cricketers Category:1982 birthsCategory:Living people